Folding chair



R. C. KERR.

FOLDING CHAIR- AvPucArloN FILED APR.26, 1920.

1,366,913. Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Fi -4.. lvwentoz I zen of the United States, residing at a of the chair.

UNITED STATES ROBERT C. KEER, OF READING, MICHIGAN.`

FOLDING CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application mea April 26, 1920.' serial No. 376,547.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. KERR c1t1- lit-cading, county of Hillsdale, State of Michi an, haveinvented a certain new and useful mprovement in Folding Chairs, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, which form a part of this speci cation.

My invention relates to improvements in foldlng chairs. My improved chair is so designed and constructed that the folded parts are included within the uprights when the chair is folded. It is further constructed so that the chair will not fall down when folded, but require a distinct edort to open the same.

In the drawings,-

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of the chair open.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, the chair being here shown folded up.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation, the lower portion of the chair being broken away.

Fig. l is va detail of the hinged joint between the back and the seat bottom.

The uprights are indicated by a and comprise a pair of rails which are connected together at the top by a bar b which acts as' a art of the seat back when the chair is open.

he cross-bar c connects the uprights at their middle portion and is adapted to support the seat when the chair isopen; near the foot of the uprights they are connected'by a cross-bar d.

The chair back e s pivoted to the uprights a by 'a metal cross-bar e2 adapted to yield upwardly under pressure, during the folding Near the bottom of the chair back on opposite sides are projecting gudgeons f adapted to be received in slots f extending longitudinally of the chair legs g so that when the chair back is folded within the uprights it will carry with it the legs whilch will likewise fold inwardly as shown in i 2.

Hiligged to the bottom of the chair back e, and forming a j miter joint therewith, as shown in Fig. 4, is the seat. bottom h. This hinge is formed betweenthe lower edge of the side rails qfthe back and rearward ends of the side rails of the seat in such a man-` ner that when the meeting ends of the side' rails come together, as shown in Fig. l, the form a mlter joint. These meetlng en s are slotted to receive the link z by means of Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

links 7c pivoted to opposite sides thereof at k2 and to the se arate uprights at los as shown 1n Fig. 3. his pivotal connection is of such a character that when the chair is opened the seat bottom will rest on the crossf b ar c instead of being supported by these links c. The link 7s 1s pivoted to the upright a at k3, at such a point thereon that when the seat is folded up, as it draws the chair back in toward the uprights elevating same, such action of elevation, as it appreaches the vertical is a ainst the resistance of the spring rod e2. his elevation of the chair back takes lace when the Seat bot# tom approaches its hlghest oint in this folding operation and just be ore it passes the center of its pivotal point with the uprights.

It will be apparent that there will be a sli ht elevation of the chair back as the rear en of the seat bottom will be somewhat ele# vated in this folding operation and will carry the chair back with it. As the seat bottom is folded, in passing the center .7c3 it will be slightly lowered and the seat back will lower therewith. The seat bottom is therefore restrained lfrom falling outwardly when folded up, requiring distinct pressure to open the same.

It will be seen that the spread of the legs of the chair is such that the chair will not tilt forward even though the weight were placed directly on the front 0f the seat bottom, because of the peculiar formation of the chair the seat bottom projecting back betweenthe uprights a peculiarl comfortable chair is provided and the weight is carried entirely by the cross-bar c. In the normal sitting posture there will be'y an upward tension on the back of the chair resisted-by the sprin pivot rod e2.

1. In a folding chair, a pair of upri hts connected and braced, a pair of short egs pivoted thereto, a chair back pivoted near its top within said uprights in such a Inanner as to yield resistingly upward under pressure, a seat pivoted within said uprights by means of links pivoted at each side thereof and pivoted to the adjacent upright member, said seat pivoted to saidy back so as to fold upwardly-thereagainst and so as to elevate said back against .the yielding resistance of its pivotal connection with the uprights when the seat is folded up and just as the seat passes the center of the pivot point of the links with the uprights. said chair back adapted to spring downwardly after the seat bottom has been folded up thereagainst, yieldingly locking the same in its folded relation.

2. In a folding chair, a pair of upri hts connected and braced, a pair of short egs pivoted thereto, a seat bottom pivoted by means of links to said uprights, a chair back pivoted at the lower end to said seat bottom and at the upper end to said uprights in such a manner that when the seat bottom is folded up within the uprights against the back, said back is forced to yield resistingly upward and adapted to spring back again ir plce when the folding operation is comp ete 3. In a folding chair, a pair of uprights connected and braced, a pair of legs connectedand braced provided with longitudinally extending slots, said legs pivoted within said uprights so as to fold therein, a back pivoted near its top within said uprights by means of a yielding cross-rod connecting said uprights and provided near its bottom with gudgeons projecting from opposite sides thereof received within longitudinal slots in said legs adapted to draw the legs within said uprights when the back is folded therein, a seat bottom hinged at its rear to said back so as to form a miter joint therewith when the same is opened and adapted to fold upwardly thereagainst. a pair of links secured at opposite sides of said seat bottom and to said uprights.

4. In a folding chair, a palr of uprights connected and braced, a pair of legs provided with longitudinally extending slots pivoted within said uprights so as to fold therein, a chair back pivoted near its top within said uprights by means of a yielding cross rod connecting said uprights so as to fold therein. provided near its bottom with gudgeons projecting from opposite sides thereofl received within said slots so as to draw said legs within said uprights when the back is folded therein, a seat hinged to said back so as to form a rigid joint therewith when the same is opened and adapted to fold upwardly thereagainst, a pair of links pivotally secured to said uprights pivoted to opposite sides of said seat bottom so that when the seat bottom is folded upwardly against said seat back drawin the same within said uprights, the back will be slightly elevated against the resistance of said ylelding pivot rod as the seat bottom passes the center where it is pivoted to the upri hts.

5. n a folding chair, a pair of uprights connected and braced together, a pair of legs connected and braced together provided with longitudinally extending slots and pivoted within said uprights so as to fold therein, a :seat back pivoted within said uprights by means of a yielding pivot rod intervenin separate uprights near the top thereof and provided near its bottoni with pivotally projecting gudgeons received in the slots in said ugs so as to draw them within said uprights when the chair back is folded therein, a seat bottom hinged to said back forming a miter joint therewith when opened adapted to fold upwardly thereagainst within said uprights, a pair of links pivotally hinging said seat bottom to said uprights in such a manner that when the seat bottom is folded upwardly within said uprights the seat back is drawn upwardly against the resistance of the yielding pivot rod as the seat back passes the center of its pivot point with the uprights, and yields downwardly after it has passed such pivot point, locking such chair in such folded position.

ln testimony whereof I sign this specification.

ROBERT C. KERR. 

